105 Sermon Illustrations on Spirituality

The vast majority of parents hope their children grow up to live good lives but, for many, parental success does not include faith in God -- even among parents who are evangelical Christians, according to a new study from LifeWay Research, the research arm of LifeWay Christian Resources.

The national survey of 1,200 adults with children under 18 at home found the most common definitions of successful parenting include children having good values (25 percent), being happy adults (25 percent), finding success in life (22 percent), being a good person (19 percent), graduating from college (17 percent) and living independently (15 percent). Being godly or having faith in God is mentioned by 9 percent of respondents.

Parents who attend religious services weekly are particularly likely to emphasize faith in God, but only 24 percent of them identify that as a mark of parenting success, the research found.

“We are seeing an ever-widening gulf in American believers between private faith and a faith that is passed on,” said Scott McConnell, associate director of LifeWay Research. “Instead, we too often see an emphasis on guiding children to a social morality and toward an as-yet undefined ‘happy’ life.”

INFLUENCES AND GOALS

While the vast majority (83 percent) believes parents should be most responsible for a child’s spiritual development, only 35 percent say their religious faith is one of the most important influences on their parenting, according to the study. This leaves nearly half (48 percent) who acknowledge their role in their child’s spiritual development, but fail to consider their own religious faith among the most important influences on their parenting.

Pushing out to either end of the religious spectrum, the study found that almost a third of all parents either have no religious faith or say religious faith has little or no influence on their parenting. Conversely, among born-again Christians, 29 percent say faith is not among the most important influences on their parenting.

“When self-identifying Christians are not able to say that faith is a priority for parenting, we should not be surprised at the prevalence of church drop outs in the younger generation,” said Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research.

Asked if they have a written plan or goal for what they want to accomplish as parents, a full 33 percent say they have no plan or goal at all. Among those who attend religious services weekly and evangelicals, 76 percent say they have a plan, either written or unwritten.

FEARS AND REGRETS

In contrast to visions of success, many parents are fearful for their children’s futures and some harbor regrets about their parenting, according to the research. A full 82 percent agree they feel fearful when they think about what kind of world their children will face as adults. Asked if they feel a lot of regret about what they’ve done as parents, 28 percent of parents agree, although only 5 percent feel strongly about it.

Almost six in 10 parents (59 percent) indicate they want their children to experience pain and disappointment so they can learn from it, but about three in four parents (74 percent) say they try to keep their own pain hidden from their children. More than one in three parents (34 percent) say they worry when they think about their children ‘leaving the nest.’ A full 15 percent say the prospect of their children growing up and leaving home is simply too painful to think about.

Only 14 percent of all parents say they feel they are very familiar with what the Bible has to say about parenting, even though 77 percent identify themselves as Christians. Among those who attend religious services weekly, that number rises to 36 percent.

“One of parents’ ultimate responsibilities is to prepare their children for adulthood,” McConnell said. “This study may hint at why many young adults are spiritually underdeveloped -- their parents have given little focus to matters of faith.”

The survey was conducted by LifeWay Research.

A homeowner in Zurich, Switzerland, called firefighters for help because her television was on fire. Crews raced to the house but found no smoke. Instead, they found that the elderly woman had tuned to a German station that showed a fire in a grate for people without a fireplace. “The fire was extinguished with the press of a button,” authorities said -- they simply changed the channel. [1]

The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians to not put out the Spirit's fire (1 Thess. 5:19). How easily can your fire be extinguished? You must have the Spirit to begin with, not someone else's experience of spiritual power. If you truly have the Spirit, it should not be able to be turned off with the flip of a switch.

________

1. Associated Press, quoted in "This Is True" internet newsletter by Randy Cassingham, July 18, 2009.

If I abide in Christ, I, too, can experience peace in the midst of chaos. But I must stay connected to my Lord, as Jesus stayed connected to His Father. Jesus demonstrates how this is possible. Following are seven things [two given] Jesus did that allowed Him to remain connected to His Father.

Dependence

“I do nothing on my own” (John 8:28) seemed to be the theme of Jesus’ life. When a hemorrhaging woman touched Jesus’ garment, hoping to be healed, power drained from Him. If power drained from Jesus each time He healed, why didn’t He become “empty”? Dependence upon the Father allowed Him to draw from a well of limitless resources. Jesus invites me to draw from this well so that I, too, need never feel empty or drained. But access to the well is only gained through wholehearted dependence upon Christ. I must allow Jesus to be my all: the breath in my lungs, the thoughts in my head, the words on my lips. My spirit must proclaim, “Apart from [Christ, I] can do nothing” (John 15:5). My actions must declare, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).

How does this work? When I am weary but have a Bible study to teach, I picture the tired me resting in a chair while Christ in me teaches the study. When I want to look at a magazine but my children want me to read them a book, I order the selfish me to step aside while Christ in me reads Hop on Pop (for the millionth time). When I feel anger toward the driver who has just cut me off, the angry me moves over and Jesus in me offers a sympathetic you-must- have-had-a-bad-day wave. Much of my dependence upon Christ involves me getting out of the way so that the King of kings may speak and act through me.

Obedience

In John 15:9-10, Jesus challenges, “Remain in my love, ... just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” Jesus said, “I love the Father and ... do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (John 14:31). Sometimes this verse translates in my life as, “I love the Father and do pretty much what He commands me.” I do not make it a point to disobey God, but neither do I make it a point to wholeheartedly follow the holy standard God prescribes. The Bible says, “Do not judge”; instead I “discern.” Scripture commands me to forgive as I have been forgiven; I sometimes forgive as I think the offender deserves. God warns, “Do not lie”; so I exaggerate. “The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). I cannot abide if I will not obey.

If the peace of God is absent from my life, perhaps it is because I am refusing to obey the Holy Spirit warning me to align my life with the Word of God. Focus Jesus said, “I know where I came from and where I am going” (John 8:14). Christ’s every action was embedded in His purpose. He did not debate over whether or not to include certain activities in His schedule. Rather, the deliberateness of His every action spoke, “That is why I have come” (Mk. 1:38; see also Lk. 5:32, 9:21-22, 12:49-51, and John 12:27).